ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau was presented the Jack Adams Award, given to the NHL’s coach who has contributed the most to his team’s success, this evening at the NHL Awards Show in Toronto. Detroit’s Mike Babcock and Montreal’s Guy Carbonneau were also finalists for the awards, which was voted on by members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

Boudreau is the second Capital head coach to win the award (Bryan Murray, 1983-84) and is the first midseason hire to win since Philadelphia’s Bill Barber in 2001. Boudreau received 31 of 74 first-place votes and 208 points to edge Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens, who had 24 first-place votes and 196 points. With Alex Ovechkin capturing the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, the Capitals are just the seventh team since the inception of the Jack Adams Award (1973-74) to have the player and coach of the year in the same season.

Boudreau became the 14th head coach in Washington history when he was named to the position on an interim basis on Nov. 22, 2007. The interim tag was removed on Dec. 26.

The Capitals were in 30th place when he accepted the job, but Boudreau quickly turned things around starting with a stirring overtime victory in Philadelphia on Nov. 23. In his 61 games behind the bench the Capitals posted a 37-17-7 record and ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak to win the Southeast Division. It marked the 10th consecutive season that Boudreau has led his team to the playoffs.

Washington became the first team in NHL history to come back from 14th or 15th place at midseason and make the playoffs and became only the second team in NHL history to finish a season in first place in its division immediately after three or more consecutive last-place finishes.

Boudreau, who had the Capitals on a 109-point pace had he coached the entire season, was the fastest coach in team history to reach 20 wins (34 games) and 30 wins (53 games). Washington earned 81 points after Boudreau was hired, which was only three points behind Detroit and Pittsburgh, which led the league with 84 points during the same timeframe.

Boudreau rallied the Caps to 17 comeback victories and posted a 20-6-7 record in games decided by one goal. Washington ended the regular season with a club record 11 wins in overtime or shootout.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 12, 2007

Alex Ovechkin Named to Third Consecutive NHL First All-Star TeamCapital matches feat last accomplished 55 years ago

ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin has been named to the 2007-08 NHL First All-Star Team, the league announced tonight at the NHL Awards Show in Toronto.

It is the third consecutive selection to the first team for Ovechkin, who becomes the first player since Detroit Red Wings goaltender Terry Sawchuk in 1950-51, 1951-52 and 1952-53 to earn first-team honors in each of his first three full seasons in the league. Ovechkin is the only Capitals forward ever to be named to one of the NHL’s postseason all-star teams and the first Capital to be named to the first team three times in his career. Ovechkin received 133 of a possible 134 first-team votes in the balloting by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

Ovechkin, who won the Hart Trophy, Lester B. Pearson Award, Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy this year, led the league in points (112 points), goals (65), power-play goals (22), game-winning goals (11) and shots (446), while playing all 82 games. Ovechkin scored a higher percentage of his team’s goals than any other player (27.3%) and had a hand in more of his team’s goals than any other player (47.1%).

Ovechkin’s 65 goals set a Capitals record and an NHL record for goals by a left wing. He wrapped up his third NHL season as the first player since 1996 to reach 60 goals and one of only 12 players all-time to score 65 or more goals. Ovechkin shared the NHL lead with three hat tricks and had two of the league’s four four-goal games all season.

His +28 rating was seventh in the league and tied for first on the team with Viktor Kozlov and he was among the league’s top 10 in hits (220) and takeaways (69).

Alex Ovechkin Wins Hart Trophy, Lester B. Pearson AwardBecomes major D.C. sports’ first MVP in 25 years, first Capital to win the Hart and Pearson

ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin was presented the Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award this evening at the NHL Awards Show in Toronto as the most valuable player in the 2007-08 NHL season.

Ovechkin is the first Washington, D.C., most valuable player in a league considered the best in the world (NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB) since the Washington Redskins’ Joe Theismann in 1983. He is also the first Capital ever to win the Hart Trophy and Pearson Award. He joins teammate Sergei Fedorov as the only Russian-born players to capture either award (Fedorov won both in 1994 as a member of the Detroit Red Wings) and is the fourth player this decade to win both the Hart and the Pearson in the same season (joining Sidney Crosby, Martin St. Louis and Joe Sakic).

The Hart Trophy was voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, while members of the NHLPA submit ballots for the Pearson Award. Ovechkin earned 128 of a possible 134 first-place votes for the Hart (balloting for the Pearson was not released). Calgary’s Jarome Iginla and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin were also nominated for both awards. With head coach Bruce Boudreau winning the Jack Adams Award as the coach of the year, the Capitals became just the seventh team since the inception of the Jack Adams Award (1973-74) to have the most valuable player and coach of the year in the same season.

Ovechkin claimed the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top point scorer (112 points) and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer (65 goals). He also led the league in power-play goals (22), game-winning goals (11) and shots (446), while playing all 82 games. Ovechkin scored a higher percentage of his team’s goals than any other player (27.3%) and had a hand in more of his team’s goals than any other player (47.1%).

He became the first player since the inception of the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 1998-99 to win the Hart, Pearson, Art Ross and Richard in one season. Ovechkin, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy after his rookie year in 2005-06, has now won five individual awards in only three years. He is the first player in NHL history to win the Hart and the Calder Trophy in a span of three seasons and is the fourth player to win both the Calder and Hart Trophies, joining Hall of Famers Bobby Orr, Bryan Trottier and Mario Lemieux.

Ovechkin’s 65 goals set a Capitals record and an NHL record for goals by a left wing. He wrapped up his third NHL season as the first player since 1996 to reach 60 goals and one of only 12 players all-time to score 65 or more goals. Ovechkin shared the NHL lead with three hat tricks and had two of the league’s four four-goal games all season.

His +28 rating was seventh in the league and tied for first on the team with Viktor Kozlov and he was among the league’s top 10 in hits (220) and takeaways (69).

Ovechkin, who led the Capitals to the playoffs for the first time since 2003, signed a new 13-year contract with Washington on Jan. 10. He appeared in his second NHL All-Star Game in January, was the NHL’s First Star for the months of January and March and was a five-time selection as one of the Three Stars of the week. Ovechkin was named the MVP and the league’s best player by The Hockey News, the “Monster of the Year” by TSN’s Pierre McGuire, the Clutch Scorer and a unanimous choice for MVP by USA Today’s panel and the “Espo Award” winner as the league MVP by Phil Esposito of XM Radio NHL Home Ice. He was voted a Sporting News All-Star and the Sporting News Player of the Year with 250 of a possible 287 votes from fellow players. Ovechkin won the Kharlamov Trophy as the top Russian-born player in the NHL for the third year in a row.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team, the NHL announced this evening at the NHL Awards Show in Toronto. Backstrom also finished as runner-up for the Calder Trophy given to the league’s rookie of the year, edged by Chicago’s Patrick Kane.

Backstrom, who was one of four Caps to play every game, turned in the second most prolific season ever for a Capitals rookie, as he helped lead Washington to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. He finished second in rookie scoring with 69 points (Kane led with 72) and lead all rookies and set a new Capitals’ rookie record with 55 assists.

He had 60 points (13g-47a) in his last 61 games, was +18 in that time and had three four-point games. In the last 18 games of the regular season, and with the playoffs on the line, he had 18 points (5g-13a) and a +16 rating. Backstrom tied for third among rookies with a +13 rating and had the highest rating among the top 15 rookie scorers.

His four game-winning goals ranked second among rookies and his +19 rating outside of the Southeast Division paced all rookies against non-divisional opponents. Backstrom finished the season as the only rookie with at least 45 points to have a plus-rating in both home and road games. He also became the first rookie in NHL history to post back-to-back four-assist games (Jan. 19 vs. Florida and Jan. 21 at Pittsburgh.)

The 20-year-old native of Gavle, Sweden, tied for first among rookies with 22 power-play assists and ranked third in rookie power-play points with 25.

Backstrom’s linemate Alex Ovechkin is the only other Capital forward to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Goaltender Jim Carey (1994-95) and defenseman Scott Stevens (1982-83) are the other two Capitals named to an NHL All-Rookie Team.

Ovechkin’s NHL Trophies on Display at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on June 13

ARLINGTON, Va. – Four major NHL trophies won by Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin will be on display at Kettler Capitals Iceplex from 12 to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 13. Fans are invited to view and take photos with the trophies, and can take part in a free public skate prior to the viewing.

The ice will be available for a free public skate from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The trophies, which typically reside in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, will be on display on the mezzanine level between the two rinks from 12 to 1 p.m. Hockey players can take advantage of a stick-and-shoot scheduled following the public skate (normal charges apply).

The following trophies will be on display:

-- The Hart Trophy, given annually to the player judged most valuable to his team -- The Lester B. Pearson Award, given annually to the league’s most outstanding player by vote of his peers -- The Art Ross Trophy, given annually to the player who leads the league in points -- The Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, given annually to the player who leads the league in goals

Due to travel and space constraints, the Jack Adams Award, which was won by head coach Bruce Boudreau, will not be on display.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 12, 2008

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty to Present Alex Ovechkin with Key to the City in Public Ceremony

ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals fans are invited to a special ceremony on Friday afternoon, June 13, at 4 p.m. in Washington, D.C., where D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and D.C. Council Chair Vincent C. Gray will present NHL most valuable player Alex Ovechkin with a key to the city.

Capitals fans are invited to watch the presentation, cheer on Ovechkin and “Rock the Red” outside the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The Ballou Marching Band and Capitals mascot Slapshot will also be on hand.

RIP 21

"Nah, I trust the laws of nature to stay constant. I don't pray that the sun will rise tomorrow, and I don't need to pray that someone will beat the Cowboys in the playoffs." - Irn-Bru

Jake wrote:God it must feel nice to be Alex right about now. Wowzers. I wonder if he'll be able to fit all that hardware through his front door.

I'll take one or two of those trophies (for safe-keeping ) if Alex is running out of storage space. On second thought, I'm sure Ted Leonsis has plenty of storage space and first preference. The Caps don't have a ton of trophies like the Redskins do, although at this rate they'll catch up quickly. I'm sure Ted is thinking of the perfect display case as I type this.

I have to admit, it's great to be a Washington Capitals fan right now.
I'm already looking forward to the upcoming season.

I think we all knew Alex would get MVP, there really was no other player that came anywhere close to him this year.

It was great to see him get the Pearson as well

The one that made me jump up from the couch was Boudreau getting coach of the year. I did not see that one coming. Not that I didn't think he deserved it, but considering that one of the finalists was toting around the Stanley Cup, I figured Bruce didn't stand a chance. Sure he may not have won as many games as either of those guys, but considering the turnaround he made for our team, and the immediate impact he had, I think they picked right.

And even though it was 90 degrees out on Friday, I sported my Ovechkin sweater to show my pride in my team.